Australia’s new national coach on Tuesday brushed aside suggestions that an under-strength England team named for next month’s two-Test rugby tour Down Under will be a pushover for the Wallabies.
John Connolly, who coached two English sides before taking over the Wallabies from Eddie Jones at the end of last season, said England’s depth was ”phenomenal” and not to be underrated.
”They’ve got so much depth, England should be just about favourites for the World Cup” next year in France, Connolly said.
The 30-man England squad named overnight is notable for who is absent — either injured or being rested from the tour.
These include captain Martin Corry — replaced for the tour by Pat Sanderson — and stalwarts like Mike Tindall, Lawrence Dallaglio and Danny Grewcock.
The team quickly drew comparisons with England’s 1998 Southern Hemisphere ”Tour of Hell”, when they rested players who had been involved in the previous year’s Lions tour and suffered heavy defeats to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
But coach Andy Robinson defended the team as ”a mixture of youth and experience” and Connolly agreed with him.
”I don’t think [Robinson] has gambled, this is a very experienced side,” Connolly told reporters in Brisbane.
”After being there for a couple of years, the depth across the board is phenomenal,” said Connolly, who coached at Bath and Swansea before taking over the Wallabies.
”In the front row, the two props Julian White and Graham Rowntree have probably 50 or 60 Tests between them,” he said, adding that forward Ben Kay ”is a World Cup winner”.
”And in the backrow there’s [Lewis] Moody and Sanderson or [Joe] Worsley, they’re all experienced. I wouldn’t think there would be a player under 25” in the pack.
The England forwards dominated the Wallabies the last time the two sides met, at Twickenham in November, when the home side won 26-16.
Connolly said England looks even better this time.
”There’s no doubt our scrum and lineout have to improve … across the board, Australia have to improve in most areas of the game to compete,” he said.
Australia lost eight of nine Tests late last year, leading to the sacking of Jones. – AFP
